Das „Living Planet“-Programm von ESA

In orbit, the same side of the GOCE satellite remains facing the Sun. The spacecraft is equipped with four body-mounted and two wing-mounted solar panels. Due to the configuration in orbit, the solar panels will experience extreme temperature variations so it was necessary to use materials that will tolerate temperatures as high as 160ºC and as low as -170ºC.

EarthCARE (Earth Clouds, Aerosols and Radiation Explorer) is being implemented in cooperation with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The mission addresses the need for a better understanding of the interactions between cloud, radiative and aerosol processes that play a role in climate regulation.